Researchers discover mechanism behind ultra-strong spider silk

Scientists have identified the molecular process that allows spiders to instantly transform biological liquids into fibers stronger than Kevlar. Research conducted by teams at San Diego State University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte reveals that the transformation relies on semi-liquid droplets called condensates. These droplets pre-organize molecules before solidification.

By studying black widow spiders, researchers observed how a viscous substance known as silk dope, composed of disordered spidroin proteins, undergoes a liquid-liquid phase separation. The addition of natural phosphate in the spider's gland triggers this phenomenon, allowing the animal to convert a liquid mixture of water, salt, and molecules into a solid fiber in milliseconds. This discovery provides a potential roadmap for the industrial reproduction of high-performance synthetic materials.